Upgrade of Java Quiz: Reading Comprehension 2.1

Thanks to geographers, Vermont is now just a little bit bigger than it used to be -- well, not really. Using a new mapping program that employs both computer and satellite technology, geographers discovered that the state owns 2000 acres of land that it didn't know it had. For the past 20 years, Vermont's estimates of land area have been created by aerial mapping, that is, using maps drawn from photographs taken by low-flying airplanes. Now with satellites that send signals to receivers on the ground, the state can rely on more accurate information.

Not only did the state gain land, but the state's tallest mountain just became officially taller. According to the new mapping program, Mount Mansfield, which used to be officially listed as 4,392.2 feet (1,338.7 meters) high, is now listed as 4,395.3 feet (1,339.7 meters) high. Even though an additional 3.1 feet might not seem like a lot to you and me, mountain climbers might disagree.